A Private Mint Operator, also operated under “Texas International Mint”.
Overview
American Medallion Corporation, Inc. (AMC) was a private mint operation based in Houston, Texas that was active primarily during the late 1980s. The company was incorporated in 1986 and produced a variety of silver bullion rounds and commemorative medals aimed at the collector and precious-metal investment markets.
AMC issues typically feature themed designs, including historical, patriotic, and wildlife motifs, reflecting the broader private-mint bullion trend that expanded rapidly during the 1980s. Many of the company’s pieces were struck in one-troy-ounce .999 fine silver formats, although other compositions and medallic issues also appear.
Evidence suggests that some early products associated with the firm may have been issued under the Texas International Mint (TIM) name before the American Medallion Corporation designation became established. Surviving rounds bearing the AMC mint mark indicate the Houston operation was producing silver rounds by the mid-to-late 1980s.
American Medallion Corporation appears to have operated only for a relatively short period, with most documented activity occurring between approximately 1986 and 1989. Today, AMC-marked silver rounds are collected as examples of the late-twentieth-century American private-mint bullion movement.
Location
Houston, Texas, USA
(Reported operations at an industrial address in the north Houston area; no retail storefront documented.)
Active Period
c. 1986–1989 (defunct)
Mint Marks & Branding
- TIM — Texas International Mint (early branding seen on some issues)
- AMC — American Medallion Corporation (later branding)
These two marks appear on stylistically related pieces and are generally understood to represent the same operation under evolving trade names.
Products & Output
AMC focused on private-issue rounds and medals, including:
- Bullion-style rounds (typically 1 troy oz .999 silver)
- Pop culture & novelty themes (cartoons, animals, aircraft, mythology)
- Traditional motifs (Liberty types, ships, pandas, commemorative designs)
No official catalogs survive. Output appears to have been low to moderate volume, distributed through mail-order and regional bullion dealers.
Manufacturing Characteristics
- Metals: Primarily .999 fine silver; also base metal issues
- Weights: Commonly 1 troy oz (some fractional or oversized novelty pieces)
- Edges: Reeded or plain depending on issue
- Finish: Brilliant Uncirculated to Proof-Like
- Minting: Contract or in-house striking (dies engraved privately)
Historical Significance
AMC represents the mid-1980s Texas private-mint boom, when small regional firms produced themed bullion in response to:
- Rising retail interest in silver rounds
- The success of private mints like Engelhard, Johnson Matthey, and Sunshine
- A collector market hungry for novelty and Americana designs
AMC’s short lifespan and scattered documentation make it a typical example of a “flash mint” — a private operation that produced creatively but disappeared before establishing long-term corporate continuity.
Collecting Notes
- Classification: Exonumia / private bullion
- Mintage data: Largely unknown for all issues
- Market value: Usually trades near silver melt with modest collector premium for unusual designs
- Authentication: Look for clean AMC or TIM stamps and late-1980s design styles
Known Related Entities
- Texas International Mint (TIM) — early trade name
- Regional Houston bullion distributors (unattributed)
Status
Defunct. No corporate activity recorded after ~1989.
Bottom line: AMC is a classic late-1980s Texas private mint — historically real, commercially brief, lightly documented, and squarely in the same ecosystem as Colonial Coins, Lone Star Mint, and other regional bullion producers of the era.